CAPE ELIZABETH - Houri Habibi Edwards, 74, died peacefully on November 27, 2024, surrounded by her family.  Houri was a beloved wife, mother, sister, and grandmother.  Many were also blessed to know her as a friend, travel companion, and opponent in tennis and later in bridge.

Houri was born on November 9, 1950, in Isfahan, Iran, to Hassan Habibi and Touran Fotowat.  She was the second born of seven children, and the family moved fairly regularly in support of her father's military career.  Houri had a wonderful childhood in Iran, spending time with her loving family and extended family.  In the 1970s, Iran was the biggest sender of foreign students to U.S. universities and, in 1972, Houri's adventurous spirit led her to study abroad in the United States.  She applied to and was accepted at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, joining tens of thousands of Iranian students studying abroad in the United States.

While Houri was in college, she met her husband-to-be, Jeffrey Thomas Edwards, while visiting a friend in Tullahoma, Tennessee.  Jeff was serving in the United States Air Force as a commissioned officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.  On December 20, 1975, Houri and Jeff were married at the home of a mutual friend, just three months after they were introduced.  Theirs was that rare "love at first sight" that lasted for the remainder of Houri's life.  They were happily married for 48 years.

Houri's greatest passion in life was being a mother.  In 1976, after she and Jeff moved to Wichita, Kansas, they welcomed their son James Hassan Edwards.  In 1979, Houri and Jeff moved their family to Bangor, Maine, where Jeff began his career in the private practice of law.  The following year, they welcomed their daughter Christina Saunders Edwards.

In 1983, Houri and Jeff moved from Bangor to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where they lovingly raised their children and later embraced being Grandma and Grandpa to their grandchildren.  They opened their home to family and friends from Iran to California and points in between, and nurtured enduring friendships with friends in their community.

In July 1986, Houri proudly became a United States citizen at an event called Liberty Weekend.  One hundred immigrants – two from each state – were chosen to participate in a naturalization ceremony on Ellis Island in New York City that was presided over by Warren Burger, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.  The four-day celebration honored the restoration and centenary of the Statue of Liberty and was attended by President Ronald Reagan, first lady Nancy Reagan, government and military leaders, and other notables.  A joint concert by the New York Philharmonic and the U.S. Marine Band was held in Central Park to mark the occasion and was attended by a record-breaking 800,000 fans.

Houri was a devoted mother who especially enjoyed supporting James and Chrissy in participating in an untold number of extracurricular activities and sports events.  She attended countless dance recitals, field hockey games, tennis matches, ski lessons, band concerts, and theatrical performances, among others.  Houri and Jeff generously embraced James and Chrissy's friends, welcomed them into their home, and brought them on family vacations.  After her children graduated from high school and went on to college, Houri nurtured new connections in her community, becoming a real estate agent and later a retail associate at boutiques in Portland.

In recent years, Houri delighted in taking walks with Jeff and their yorkies "Gus" and "Charlie," and exploring the coast of Maine with her grandchildren at Fort Williams, Crescent Beach, and Willard Beach.  She enjoyed playing bridge at community centers in both Cape Elizabeth and South Portland.  Houri traveled with her family all over the country, and especially loved visiting New York City at Christmastime.  After she was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, she remained steadfastly positive, hopeful, and determined to find a successful treatment.

Houri's memory will be treasured by her husband Jeff; her children James and his wife Jamie of Gorham, Maine; Dr. Christina Edwards and her husband Benjamin Schmidt of Falmouth, Maine; her five grandchildren Jack Edwards, Reid Edwards, Wyatt Edwards, Autumn Schmidt and Vail Schmidt; and her extended family in Iran, London, and Los Angeles.

The family expresses their deep gratitude to the excellent and compassionate medical care that Houri received from Dr. Harold Burstein and the oncology team at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the intensive care unit team at Maine Medical Center, the Dempsey Center, and Dr. James Zeitlin.

A service in celebration of Houri's life will be held at Riverside Memorial Cemetery in Cape Elizabeth on Monday, December 9, at 11:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Houri's name may be given to the Dempsey Center, 29 Lowell Street, Lewiston, ME 04240.